#16 in the world · QS 2027

Yale University

A liberal arts college inside a research university, organised around 14 residential colleges in New Haven.

New Haven, Connecticut, United States Private research university Founded 1701 Official website

See my chances at Yale Admissions office

Acceptance rate: 4.7%; Fall 2025 entering class (Class of 2029)
Students: 15,657; 6,667 undergraduates
International: 24%; of students
Student–faculty: 5:1; ratio
Tuition: $72,500; International undergraduates · 2026-27

About Yale

Yale was founded in 1701 and is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States. It enrolls about 15,700 students: 6,667 undergraduates in Yale College and just under 9,000 in the graduate and professional schools, including the Law School, the School of Medicine, the School of Management and the David Geffen School of Drama. Undergraduate teaching is the centre of the place, with a 5:1 student-faculty ratio in the College.

Every first-year is assigned to one of 14 residential colleges, each with its own courtyard, dining hall, library, head of college and dean, and stays affiliated with it through graduation. Academically, Yale College is a liberal arts program: students explore widely before choosing a major and must meet distributional requirements across the humanities, social sciences, sciences, quantitative reasoning, writing and languages. Resources include one of the largest academic library systems in the country, with 15.9 million volumes, the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, the Peabody Museum and the Yale University Art Gallery.

Yale suits students who love ideas and conversation, want a strong residential community and are interested in contributing to it. It is equally strong in the arts, humanities, sciences and public service. Aid is entirely need-based and meets 100% of demonstrated need without loans, regardless of citizenship.

Lux et veritas

“Light and truth” — university motto

Why students choose Yale

The residential college system: 14 colleges, each with its own dining hall, library and faculty leadership, that you belong to for all four years.

Financial aid meets 100% of demonstrated need without loans regardless of citizenship, and families under $100,000 with typical assets often pay nothing.

Collections few universities can match, including the Beinecke Library, Peabody Museum and Yale University Art Gallery.

Distinctive arts and professional schools, from the David Geffen School of Drama to the Law School, that undergraduates can connect with.

Admissions

Fall 2025 entering class (Class of 2029)

About 1 in 21 applicants is admitted

2,387 admitted from 50,264 applicants

SAT 1480–1560

1000120014001600

Middle 50% of admitted students scored in this range.

ACT 33–35

2024283236

Middle 50% of admitted students scored in this range.

Yale enrolled 1,633 first-year students in fall 2025.

Testing Required: SAT or ACT for all first-year applicants. AP/IB scores are optional additions and cannot replace the SAT/ACT.

Grades Yale does not publish a GPA range.

Deadlines

Single-Choice Early Action Non-binding Next deadline · In 26 days

November 1, 2026

Non-binding, but no other early action or early decision applications except non-binding rolling or public-university programs, programs notifying after January 1, and universities outside the U.S. Decisions mid-December.
Regular Decision Non-binding In ~3 months

January 2, 2027

Decisions late March; reply by May 1.

Yale lists November 1 and January 2 as its standing deadlines; the timeline page did not state the year, so these are the expected dates for entry in fall 2027.

How to apply

Common App, Coalition Application on SCOIR, or QuestBridge (one application per cycle); Yale questions including up to three academic interests and a 200-word answer, three 200-character short takes and a 400-word essay; school report and transcript; teacher and counselor recommendations; SAT or ACT; optional arts or STEM research supplements.

What admissions looks for

Two guiding questions: who is likely to make the most of Yale's resources, and who will contribute most to the Yale community.
Academic potential: a sharp, inquiring mind and the drive to use it constructively.
Investment in supporting others: collegiality, empathy, respect for differences and concern for the common good.
Willingness to explore new horizons: open-mindedness, curiosity, creativity and an enterprising spirit.

Tips for applying to Yale

1 Use the 200-character short takes for personality; they are tiny, so one vivid detail beats a summary.
2 Interviews are by invitation only, run by alumni or current seniors; many admitted students never interview, so do not read anything into not being invited.
3 Single-Choice Early Action rules out other private early applications, so plan your early strategy before November 1.
4 If you have serious work in visual art, dance, music, film or STEM research, consider the optional supplementary materials.

What are your chances?

Costs & financial aid

2026-27 · figures in USD

All undergraduates Tuition $72,500

+ housing ($12,080) and food ($9,520) $21,600 ≈ $94,100 per year

Tuition Housing ($12,080) and food ($9,520)

Financial aid

Yale was the first private research university in the U.S. to establish need-blind admission and need-based aid for undergraduates. Aid meets 100% of demonstrated need regardless of citizenship or immigration status, without requiring loans, and families with incomes below $100,000 and typical assets often qualify for a zero parent share.

55%
Yale College students receiving need-based aid: $75,220
Average annual need-based scholarship: 88%
Graduates with no student loan debt: $185
Student activity fee (2026-27)

Academics

Academic calendar: Semesters (fall and spring)

Theater and Performance Studies

Undergraduates share a campus with the David Geffen School of Drama, where Meryl Streep earned her MFA.

Architecture

An undergraduate major linked to the Yale School of Architecture, where Maya Lin earned her M.Arch.

Political Science and Global Affairs

Connected to the Jackson School of Global Affairs and a long line of alumni in public life.

Mathematics and Computer Science

Yale is where computing pioneer Grace Hopper earned her master's and PhD.

Research

Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.
Yale Peabody Museum.
Yale University Art Gallery.
Yale University Library, with 15.9 million volumes across its collections.

Schools & faculties

Yale College
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
School of Engineering and Applied Science
Yale Law School
Yale School of Medicine
Yale School of Management
David Geffen School of Drama
Yale School of Music
Yale School of Art
Yale School of Architecture
Jackson School of Global Affairs
Yale School of the Environment

Graduation rate

96%

First-year students who return

99%

Student life

Yale's 14 residential colleges shape almost everything: you are assigned to one before you arrive, eat and study there, compete against other colleges in intramurals, and graduate with them. Most first-years live on Old Campus under Harkness Tower. Yale competes in NCAA Division I in the Ivy League, and The Game against Harvard is the social event of the autumn. Handsome Dan, a bulldog, has been the mascot for generations, and spring brings a large outdoor celebration.

14 residential colleges with their own dining halls, libraries and heads of college.
The Game, the Harvard-Yale football rivalry dating to 1875.
Handsome Dan, Yale's bulldog mascot.
NCAA Division I athletics in the Ivy League.

Housing. Every undergraduate belongs to one of 14 residential colleges for all four years.

Location

Yale is in downtown New Haven, a small, walkable coastal city on Long Island Sound known for its pizza, theatres and music venues. The campus and city are woven together, so cafes and shops are steps from class. Metro-North and Amtrak trains from New Haven Union Station reach New York City in about two hours, and Boston is a short Amtrak ride away. Winters are cold; autumns are beautiful.

Nearest airport: Tweed New Haven Airport (HVN); Bradley International (BDL) and New York airports for international flights

Notable alumni

SS
Sonia Sotomayor

U.S. Supreme Court Justice; J.D., Yale Law School 1979
BC
Bill Clinton

42nd U.S. President; J.D., Yale Law School 1973
MS
Meryl Streep

Actor; MFA in drama 1975
GH
Grace Hopper

Computing pioneer and U.S. Navy rear admiral; master's 1930 and Ph.D. in mathematics 1934
ML
Maya Lin

Designer of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial; B.A. 1981, M.Arch. 1986
WH
William Howard Taft

27th U.S. President and Chief Justice

Frequently asked questions

What is Yale's acceptance rate?

For fall 2025, Yale admitted 2,387 of 50,264 first-year applicants, about 4.7%, according to its 2025-26 Common Data Set.

Does Yale require the SAT or ACT?

Yes. All first-year applicants must submit SAT or ACT scores; AP and IB scores are optional and cannot replace them. The middle 50% of fall 2025 enrollees scored 1480-1560 on the SAT and 33-35 on the ACT.

Is Yale early action binding?

No. Single-Choice Early Action (November 1) is non-binding, but you generally may not apply early to other private universities.

Does Yale require an interview?

No. Interviews are by invitation only with alumni or current seniors, and many successful applicants are not interviewed.

How much does Yale cost?

For 2026-27, tuition is $72,500; with housing ($12,080), food ($9,520), the student activity fee, books and personal expenses, Yale's itemized estimate comes to $97,985 before travel. Aid meets full demonstrated need without loans, and families under $100,000 with typical assets often have a zero parent share.

Sources & methodology

Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.